


D(e/i)str(u/a)ctive Identity

by Giulietta



Series: Mari-nyan [4]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Character Study, Fear of Discovery, Gen, Hobbies, Kwami Swap, Plagg Being Plagg (Miraculous Ladybug), Plagg Cares (Miraculous Ladybug), Secret Identity, Slice of Life, Teenagers, Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:07:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24214141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Giulietta/pseuds/Giulietta
Summary: Plagg never understood about the identity thing but he can understand what his chosens do whenever they're on the run.Marinette acts like she's on the run when she isn't.
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Plagg
Series: Mari-nyan [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1745011
Comments: 1
Kudos: 150





	D(e/i)str(u/a)ctive Identity

**Author's Note:**

> Marinette over-worries. Plagg is somewhat helpful.
> 
> Trying to give reason to the existence of why Marinette hates liars when she is a liar in the show (which might make Marinette hate herself. You get the idea. It's pretty complicated).

It's been a week as Lady Noire and Marinette Dupain-Cheng has her anxiety level off the charts. For some reason, everyone wants to find out who she and Misterbug are. She tried to pass it off by being Lady Noire and performing her usual Marinette routine, but this fear is debilitating. She also doesn't want to tell Misterbug because he needs her as a support, not a liability.

_**"Act on it."** The black cat kwami raised his paws, shrugging his shoulders._

_Plagg is right._ Marinette has to work **this** out. She will not succumb to pressure. She is the amazing, brave and confident Marinette Dupain-Cheng! Being Lady Noire is merely one of her part-time, like taking a community service job. Her past record as a shy and sweet student in College won't save her from scandal. She needs a foolproof plan. **A plan**.

"Hmmm..." Marinette stared at her classmates' schedules.

Ever since she took up commissions in her school: **Collège Françoise Dupont** , she's been keeping tabs on potential clients - that being her classmates, several higher-ups and admin. The deadlines usually land on days and specific hours where the client(s) is/are available. The first thing she focused on are their activities. She has to get a hobby distinct from theirs but not exactly out of this world. Marinette eventually agrees that her current hobbies are sufficient.

**Fashion designing** is a difficult and secretive business. Marinette will need to upgrade her online boutique to show her seriousness. Alya will help her on that. She also does **graphic designing** , accepting art commissions when desperate. She has a complex rule on art commissions, never knowing if she should or should not accept NSFW requests. Sometimes, she does. Sometimes, she doesn't. It really depends how much she needs. She also does **gaming** , combat games with her dad at times. Her dad loves to spoil her like her mom. They love her very much that sometimes, Marinette is afraid of getting them disappointed. There are times she used the **part-time in a bakery** as an excuse. Marinette can't use that forever. Her parents will not like that. Besides, Marinette hates making lies where she has to involve innocent parties. The only person she's willing to use is Misterbug because he's her partner in crime err law! Her last and most tiresome job is **babysitting** children. As much as Marinette wants to remove that from her life in entirety _because kids are so irresistible demons with angel alter-egos,_ one of her clients is Nadja Chamack who can attest to her not being Lady Noire. ~~Also, money's good.~~

"What if I sign up for an online class?" Marinette suggested, looking at Plagg. She does want to attend a good lycée. Unfortunately, the only subjects Marinette has a bad grip on would be the sciences and that can still be fixed with minor study time adjustments. She also handles **online tutoring** but that's catered to her fellow Asian buddies. "Nah. Extra expenses and very few time!"

"How about apply in a stick swinging sport?" Plagg munched on an apple pie slice with too much cheddar cheese and very few apple. "You do need some help with that staff of yours."

"The closest _stick swinging sport_ in town would be a fencing school. I'll get an application form once Mr. D'Argencourt opens the try-outs." Marinette grabs her sticky note and writes it down, removing it from the stack and walking to her bulletin. She sticks it on her To-do list, smiling at the colorful sticky notes. "But if I do apply and get accepted... What if the reporters trace me back to Lady Noire because of my techniques?!"

"You're being dramatic again. It's not like Hawkmoth works there or something.." Plagg finished his slice, looking down at Marinette's intentional disaster pie plate. "Fine. What do humans your age do?"

"We talk about music, clothes, videos..." Marinette placed both of her hands on her hips. Plagg is right. To not be accused, she has to be an ordinary girl with an ordinary life. That means she has to know normal stuff like the latest trends. Hanging out with Alya won't suffice. She'll need to reconnect to all her classmates again. Urgh.. It's not like Marinette became enemies with them or grew distant because she felt like it... It's more of the fact that the past years have her focused solely on studies and improving her skills. She isn't known as the class' **fashion designer and baker** for nothing, you know?!

"What about food?" Plagg decides not to use the knife and took a bite by sitting in the metal plate.

"That too. Oh and boys." Marinette looks at her room littered with clothes. They're all from different time periods and fashion companies, but **Gabriel brand** stands out the most. Surprisingly, only a couple of their best clothes are worn by Adrien. Marinette furrowed her eyebrows. "Is that why Chloé feels threatened by me?"

"Then do that. Be a teen. Do girl stuff." Plagg took another chomp.

"Good idea. If I really _do_ the stuff I say, that means I'm not lying about it and the truth is always the strongest piece of evidence one can hope for!" Marinette raised her fist in conviction. As long as she has these grounds, no would ever link Marinette to Lady Noire.

"What's wrong with lying? No one gets harmed from a white lie." Plagg stopped chomping, looking at his chosen. Marinette is always overthinking and stressing over nothing. Sometimes, it reminds him of Tikki but a very young hyperactive Tikki.

"Because lying is wrong and liars eventually go to jail or get haunted by the past or... You know? Bad stuff." Marinette raised her hand to finger her loose hair.

"Sheesh. Your parents taught you well." Plagg listened to his chosen's parents. They're pretty neat and chill, but they also remind him of the guardians back in Tibet. Those guys who tell rules and punish you for _your own good_. It's not like that method failed because it works, but Plagg hates it. It destroys curiosity, implanting fear in the human's head.

"Yeah..." Marinette takes a deep breath and exhaled. While Plagg was contemplating on the problematic history of conditioning, Marinette was writing down on her sticky notes and sticking it on her bulletin. The bluenette stares at her notes and heaved. "I think I'll need to make a diary. I can't trust anyone who'll sort my stuff."

"Make your diary cryptic too." Plagg loves puzzles but mostly pranks. Pranks are great.

"I'll make it tomorrow." Marinette vowed, heading back to her computer. She opens the screen, purchasing a number of material to construct a diary trap. Plagg keeps eating, content with the flaky cheesy meal. Marinette called out, reading the class group chat. "What do you think of **dancing**?"

"Eh." Plagg doesn't care. He isn't the guy you should talk to if it comes to artistic representation. 'That's Tikki's job or Duusu.'

"A so-so activity. I'll deny it for now. What if an akuma comes during the session? I don't want anyone to feel down." Marinette can't cram her life with too many elements. Her life has become hectic as of now, she can't handle it if anything more is added. Bidding good bye to the class, Marinette logs off from her desktop and looks back at the math and biology book on her desk. Right next to that is the apple pie plate. "Aw Plagg! You left one-fourth for me."

"So You can make more of it." Plagg replies and burps afterwards. Marinette merely rolls her eyes, taking a piece of her pie, with a smile perched on her lips.


End file.
